Push rods for flower-stemming machine



Oct. 22, 1968 K. KiNKEL PUSH RODS FOR FLOWER-STEMMING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 14, 1966 INVENTOR. lfO/VPAD KIN/(6A I L1 :J II

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ATTORNEY Oct. 22, 1968 K. KINKEL PUSH RODS FOR FLOWER-STEMMING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 14, 1966 INVENTOR. KOMQAD KIA/K61.

A 77' OQNE X United States Patent 3,406,559 PUSH RODS FOR FLOWER-STEMMING MACHINE Konrad Kinkel, Brooklyn, N .Y., assignor to B. & K. Tool Die & Stamping Co., Inc., Woodhaven, N.Y. Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 362,063,

Apr. 23, 1964. This application Dec. 14, 1966, Ser. 7 No. 601,698

3 Claims. (Cl. 72420) This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application for Power-Operated Flower Stemming Machine filed Apr. 23, 1964, and assigned Ser. No. 362,063, and now abandoned.

This invention relates to flower stemming machines and in particular to improvements in the push rods which translate individual pick elements from a loading station to a crimping station.

Flower picks are usually thin, metallic elements having deformable fingers at one end adapted for fastening to the existing stem of a natural or artificial flower so as to reinforce or extend the stem. A typical machine for automatically performing this operation is fully described in US. Patent No. 2,022,043.

Such flower stemming machines, however, have been seriously burdened by the necessity of using pick advancing means such as push rods, that were incapable of functioning effectively unless perfectly formed picks were supplied. Frequently, an improperly formed pick is loaded into the machine causing a jam during the operating cycle because of defective feeding. The jamming tends to disrupt the pace and rhythm of the operator who is expected to produce a specified number of stemmed flowers per unit of time. In addition, the loss of productive time and the destruction of picks is costly and reduces the profit of the florist or other user.

One of several reasons for poorly formed picks is that the pick stamping dies become worn from prolonged use. This manifests itself in picks having burrs or similar defects. In the prior art devices, if there was a burr on one pick, then that pick and the next higher pick would be fed together thus causing a jam in the machines adapted to feed only a single pick. Another source of nonuniformity in picks is the material used in their fabrication. It is well known that the hardness characteristic of steel will vary from batch to batch. Thus, in large quantities, the angularity of the deformable pick fingers may vary over a wide range causing either improper feeding or preventing feeding entirely. In the past it has been necessary to discard poorly formed picks and tofrequently replace the stamping dies responsible for the imperfections.

Although these machines have been in use approximately thirty years, the present invention apparently is the first improvement which successfully circumvents the problems hereinabove enumerated. In no Way does the invention improve either the material quality of the picks or their stamping dies. However, use of the improved push rods, in combination with existing machines, permits feeding of all picks, defective or not. Since the machines will not accommodate a wider quality range of picks, a further benefit will accrue. The wear of the stamping dies will be of smaller consequence, requiring less frequent changes. The cost of the dies may be amortized over a longer useful life thus bringing down the unit cost of both dies and picks.

Therefore, the primary objects of the invention are to provide improved push rods which will, in turn, assure an improved flower stemming machine.

It is an important object that the improved push rod be capable of feeding picks that are burred or have other deformities such as may occur when steel of diverse properties is used in their fabrication.

An additional object is to provide compensating means "ice associated with the push rods for the accommodation of a wide quality range of picks.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved flower stemming machine.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved rod utilized in flower stemming machines.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a means to prevent jamming of flower stemming machines.

Another object is to provide improved push rods that may be easily manufactured by conventional techniques at a minimum cost.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will, in part, be pointed out with particularity and will, in part, become obvious as the description proceeds, taken in conjunction, with the accompanying drawing which forms an integral part thereof.

In the various figures of the drawing, like reference characters designate like parts.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a pick applying machine with portions partially broken away;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the machine of the present invention taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a pictorial view of the crimping jaws and the camming means which actuate them;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a pair of push rods with a deformable pick disposed therebetween;

FIG. 5 is a front view of one of the push rods.

Referring now to the drawing, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 illustrate the improved pick-applying machine of the present invention. A hollow base 12 supports a pair of upright, flanged stanchions 14 which are laterally spaced about the longitudinal machine center line in a staggered relationship to each other.

A stack of deformable picks 16 is positioned on the longitudinal center line of the machine between upright stanchions 14 and are maintained in proper position by the stanchion flanges. Each pick has a substantially fiat body portion 18 having a longitudinal, central depression 20 and a plurality of deformable fingers 22 staggered on either side of the body portion at one end thereof. Fingers 22 also straddle the stanchion flanges. The opposite end of pick 16 is provided with a plurality of teeth or notches 23 similarly spaced on either side of the body portion, in staggered relationship to each other. The trailing edge 22a of the two rearward fingers 22 (FIG. 4) abuttingly receive the spaced, parallel push rods 24 in order to be longitudinally displaced thereby.

. Push rods 24 are formed from standard rectangular stock and have a downwardly turned rearward end 26. The cylindrical front end 28 of the push rods may readily be formed off center, as shown in FIG. 5, by a routine turning operation in a lathe. For convenience of description, only one push rod will be described although, as shown in FIG. 4, there are right and lefthand rods of different length, the different configuration being accounted for by the staggered relationship of the pick fingers 22 on either side of the longitudinal center of the machine.

The top of cylindrical front end 28 of the push rod is positioned below the top surface of the rod to define a finger-engaging vertical plane 30 of such dimension as to engage one and only one pick with enough margin to allow for burrs on the pick. Typically, a pick is approximately 0.012" thick and a burr, 0.003 thick. Therefore, plane 30 will have a dimension t of 0.014" and can advance one pick at a time, whether they are perfectly stamped or are burred as the result of using worn production dies. Conical tip 32 assures smooth travel of the push rod beneath fingers 22 and also serves to guide the fingers into a firm and square abutment with vertical Q I 3 plane 30. In addition, in the imperative to'allow some radius at the junction fingers 22 and body portion 18. Hence the push rods are provided with relief in the form of chamfered corner 34.

Directly beneath the stacked picks is a centrally located, longitudinal groove 36 (FIG. 2) formed in the top surface of base 12. The groove is shaped such that it will cradle the body portion 18 of the lowermost pick 16 in the stack. A pair of ways 38 are formed at the top of the base member, parallel to and laterally spaced from groove 36. Ways 38 have flat, smooth bottom and side walls adapted to slidably receive push rods 24. a

A pair of spaced, parallel ledges 40 are also formed in the base member just below and paralleltothe plane of ways 38. Follower 'block 42, at its outboard ends 44, is adapted to slidably move on the ledges and in so. doing displace the push rods.

Transverse groove 46, formed in the top surface of the follower block, engages the turned down end 26 of each'push rod so that upon actuation of the push rods, by means to be described more fully hereinafter, the lowermost pick in the stacking will be moved longitudinally into position between the crimping jaws 48.

v Crimping jaws 48 are comprised of a pair of opposed sets of plates 50a and 50b having spacers therebetween so that the longitudinal spacing of the plates conform to the longitudinal spacing of the pick fingers 22. The respective sets of plates are pinned together and are each further provided with pivot shafts 52a and 52b rotatably journaled in base member 12. A single screw 54 is provided with a head portion that spans both shafts 52a and 52b to thereby retain them in the base member. At'their lower ends, each jaw is provided with a roller 56 which extends between the two outboard plates of each set of plates.

At the proper time, the crimping jaws are actuated by a bell crank 58 in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter. As may best be seen in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the bell crank is pivotable about transverse shaft 60. which is journaled in the spaced side walls of the base member. One arm 62 of bell crank 58 terminates in a cam 64 which is positioned between rollers 56 at the lower ends of jaws 48. It will be seen that upward travel of the cam will cause the rollers in the lower ends of the jaws to separate and will cause the plates 50a and 50b in the upper ends of the jaws to come together and crimp fingers 22 of the pick about the stem of the flower. The other arm 66 of hell crank 58 is provided with a pivotable linkage 68 extending to the bell crank actuating means.

Included in structural features of the machine is a cover plate 70 which is secured to the top of base member 12 by means of screws 72. Cover plate 70 retains the push rods manufacture of picks it is during their translation within ways, .38. As the pick. 1 6 is,

advanced to the left (FIG. 1 and FIG. 2) body portion 18 slides along centrally disposed longitudinal groove 36 and underneath retaining spring 74 carried by adjustable bracket 76. Spring 74 assures that the pick will follow an exact and predetermined path. Cov er .plates"7,8 are also secured to the top of base 12 to:con'cealand protect crimpingjaws48; r r Thus it'can 'be appreciated that the apparatus-ofthe present inventionhas successfully eliminated a'defect that has been associated with flower stemmingmachines since their inception. Delays initiated by defective picks are eliminated, thereby increasing production and reducing the cost of manufacture. In addition, .thepushrods do'not have to be replaced asoften because wear. of the rod surfaces are compensated for by the pressure of. the springs urging the rods against the picks. This, too, serves to reduce the cost of the operation of the flower stemming machine. I V

There has been disclosed heretofore the best embodiment of the invention presently contemplated and his to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. 7

What is claimed is: v V

1. In an improved machine for applying a deformable pick to the stem of a flower, the machine having a pair of ways, feed means for supplying picks .to the ways, means to linearly displace successive picks, crimping jaws to deform the pick about a flower stern placed on the pick and a cam to actuate the crimping jaws, the improvement comprising a pair of improved push rods disposedin the ways, each of said push rods comprising an elngated body portion having longitudinal axis, a first end coupled to the pick displacement means and a cylindrical second end formed integrally with and extending longitudinally from said body portion, the juncture of. said second end and said body portion defining an interface.

2. The device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said second end is formed eccentrically with the longitudinal axis of said body portion.

3. The device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said second end is conical. f

References .Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1935 Knuutila 7242 4 8/1965 Giovanniello 724 24 

1. IN AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR APPLYING A DEFORMABLE PICK TO THE STEM OF A FLOWER, THE MACHINE HAVING A PAIR OF WAYS, FEED MEANS FOR SUPPLYING PICKS TO THE WAYS, MEANS TO LINEARLY DISPLACE SUCCESSIVE PICKS, CRIMPING JAWS TO DEFORM THE PICK ABOUT A FLOWER STEM PLACED ON THE PICK AND A CAM TO ACTUATE THE CRIMPING JAWS, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A PAIR OF IMPROVED PUSH RODS DISPOSED IN THE WAYS, EACH OF SAID PUSH RODS COMPRISING AN ELONGATED BODY PORTION HAVING LONGITUDINAL AXIS, A FIRST END COUPLED TO THE PICK DISPLACEMENT MEANS AND A CYLINDRICAL SECOND END FORMED INTEGRALLY WITH AND EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY FROM SAID BODY PORTION, THE JUNCTURE OF SAID SECOND END AND SAID BODY PORTION DEFINING AN INTERFACE. 